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Service-Disabled Veterans Come First

by Ida Rose Nininger, Esq.
 
Fifty percent of New York State’s already more than $4 billion adult-use cannabis industry are to be issued to social and economic equity applicants, a carefully tailored group which includes service-disabled veterans. This is a rare opportunity for service-disabled veterans to get in on the ground level of a lucrative, soon-to-be-booming industry, and while license applications are not yet open, there are preliminary steps that can be taken by qualified individuals to facilitate business development and future license qualification.
Service-disabled veterans are defined in New York under Executive Law § 17-B as a veteran of any branch of the US armed forces or the New York guard or naval militia or reserves who received a compensation rating or equivalency of ten percent or greater from the US Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs from a service-connected disability incurred on the line of duty. Under VA guidelines, such a ten percent compensation rating reflects how significantly the disability affects the
 veteran’s ability to work. The findings are reached by assessing either singular medical conditions or cumulative symptoms. Under the New York State regulations, veterans who have received such compensation ratings from the VA will get priority in applying for any of the state’s ten different types of licenses.
Service-disabled veterans will thus be a part of the first wave of licenses issued when New York finalizes their regulations and begins issuing licenses, likely sometime in 2023. In the interim, service-disabled veterans can get a start on their cannabis entrepreneurship by getting certified as a service-disabled veteran owned business (“SDVOB”). This certification will expedite the review under the cannabis regulatory bodies when the applications open. Getting established early can also give businesses an early bite at names, domains, trademarks, and real estate. In addition, there are other preliminary steps to take including developing a business plan, securing investments, plotting location, and preparing application qualifications that can help service-disabled veterans stay ahead of this game in this quickly-growing industry.

Thank you for your support, 
Jay, Eric, Jenny, 
Ida Rose, Craig & Erin 
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The purpose of the newsletter is to provide general information only.  The information contained herein does not constitute or contain formal legal advice or solicitation of legal services. Our provision of this newsletter, and your receipt of such information, does not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship, or impose any obligation on the Firm. Please also be advised that despite applicable state law, cannabis remains illegal federally and all services provided by the Firm are strictly limited to the confines of relevant state laws and regulations relating to state-legal medical cannabis and adult use cannabis. All activities related to cannabis are currently illegal under the laws of the United States of America and nothing contained herein nor any of our services provided are intended to assist in any way with violation of any applicable law.​